The FLUXUS® F/G721: Non-intrusive Liquid and Gas Flow Measurement

The FLEXIM FLUXUS® F/G721 offers non-intrusive flow measurement of virtually any kind of liquid or gas, from the smallest tubing to the largest penstock, independent of the pressure inside the pipe and over a very large temperature range. Due to its advanced technology, the measurement is unaffected by solid or gaseous entrainments or gas wetness and distinguishes itself by its unrivaled turndown ratio: Even low flows down to only a few liters per hour can be recorded accurately.

As the flowmeter of choice for a very wide range of applications in virtually any industrial sector, the FLUXUS® F/G721 is available with two different enclosure types: aluminum housing for standard applications and stainless steel housing for operation in highly corrosive environments. Both can be used in explosion hazard areas (ATEX, IECEX Zone 2).

For more information, Contact:
M.S. Jacobs and Associates
https://msjacobs.com
800-348-0089

BTU Metering with Non-invasive, Clamp-on Ultrasonic Flow Meters

BTU Metering for HVAC
Energy Management

The modern business climate has, for some time now, been spooling up demand for accountability and, even more so, efficiency. Whether you think of efficiency as "doing more with less" or just avoiding the expenditure of financial, human, or natural resources the end result is the same and calls for similar prerequisites.

We live in a society of buildings, each with a mapped out function. Most buildings are predominantly occupied by people, bringing a requirement to maintain temperature, relative humidity, and air quality at levels of suitable comfort for human occupants. The energy consumption involved with providing that level of comfort stands as a bold line item in the operating expense ledger for any building. That is where accountability and efficiency come in. It is in the building stakeholders' interest to have knowledge regarding rates and quantity of thermal energy usage, as well as efficiency measures of delivered output per unit of input energy.

Installation of the BTU meter.
Typically takes about 4 hrs.

HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) primarily is an endeavor that generates and moves
thermal energy throughout an enclosed space. Commercially available technology now allows a building operator to accurately measure that movement of thermal energy throughout a system or building. The process is generally called BTU metering and has a number of justifiable benefits.

• Real time equipment performance measurement.
• Sub metering can indicate specific areas of consumption.
• Ability to directly bill multiple tenants in a single building for their thermal energy usage.
• Monitor and balance energy flows.

BTU metering essentially involves inlet and outlet temperature measurement of heat transfer liquids, along with their flow rate. While the principle is simple, the intricacies of the measurement methods and equipment accuracy can have a substantial impact on the accuracy, and thus the benefit, of the measurement data. Additionally, adding more instrumentation to an already complex system can create an additional on-going maintenance and calibration burden to retain the necessary levels of accuracy and function. Success at gaining the benefit of the performance data while minimizing the additional maintenance burden due to the instrumentation should be the goal.

Click for larger image.

One solution calls for the use of clamp on ultrasonic flow meters to measure liquid flow, coupled with temperature measurement in a single unit that will perform necessary calculations and provide output data in useful engineering units. An overarching benefit of the clamp on meter is its non-invasive nature, allowing its retrofit to in-place systems with no disturbance to existing piping. Here are some other characteristics of a highly effective BTU measurement unit:

• No wear mechanism as part of the flow measurement unit
• Traceable accuracy of flow and temperature measurements
• Simple installation in new or retrofit applications without disruption to system operation
• Reliable and maintenance free operation
• Accurate measurement from near zero flow rate to maximum system flow
• Stable sensing with no zero drift
• Communications protocol to match building energy management system
• Large storage cache for data, in case of communication failure
• Common output signals, 4-20 ma or other, usable with selected ancillary equipment

Selecting the right equipment or instrumentation is the most important step along the path of adding measurement capability to increase efficiency. Without a solid stream of reliable data, useful decisions become difficult. Contact a product application specialist and share your goals and challenges. Leverage your own knowledge and experience with their product application expertise to develop an effective solution.

Award Winning Flow Measurement Instrument

Flexim F704 Ultrasonic Flow Meter
Image Courtesy Flexim

Flow Control Magazine, which targets solutions for fluid movement, measurement and containment, handed out its annual Innovation Awards recently. Among those receiving honorable mention was Flexim Americas Corporation, for the Fluxus Cryo that provides noninvasive measurement of cryogenic fluids. Special design adaptations prevent ice build up on the measurement apparatus that that can plague other technologies.

Ultrasonic flow measurement offers some distinct advantages over other available methods, with high accuracy, no intrusion into the media, and no moving parts. While the award was specifically for a cryogenic application, Flexim ultrasonic flow measurement instruments are available for an extensive array of applications.

For more information, share your flow measurement requirements and challenges with process instrumentation experts, leveraging your own process knowledge and experience with their product application expertise to develop effective solutions.

In-Line Process Refractometer

Refractometry, a combination of physics, materials, and chemistry, is a measurement technique which determines the composition of known substances by means of calculating their respective refractive indexes (RI). RIs are evaluated via a refractometer, a device which measures the curve, or refraction, resulting when the wavelength of light moves from the air into and through a tested substance. The unitless number given by the refractometer, usually between 1.3000 and 1.7000, is the refractive index. The composition of the substance is then determined with a comparison of the measured RI to standard curves developed for the substance. There are four general types of refractometers: digital, analog, lab, and inline process. Although refractometry can measure a variety of substances, the most common group of known substances to calculate is liquids. Liquid based continuous processes benefit from the use of an inline process refractometer to provide real time data about process output or intermediate steps.

The ultimate focus of industrial refractometry is to describe what is in a final product or output of a process step. A field which relies directly on the results of refractometry is gemology. Gemological refractometry is crucial for accurately identifying the gemstones being classified, whether the gemstones are opaque, transparent, or translucent.

Other common examples of industrial refractometry uses include measuring the salinity of water to determine drinkability; figuring beverage ratios of sugar content versus other sweeteners or water; setting eye-glass prescriptions; understanding the hydrocarbon content of motor fuels; totaling plasma protein in blood samples; and quantifying the concentration of maple syrup. Regarding fuels, refractometry scrutinizes the possible output of energy and conductivity, and for drug-testing purposes, refractometry measures the specific gravity, or the density, of human urine. Regarding food, refractometry has the ability to measure the glucose in fruit during the fermentation process. Because of this, those in food processing can know when fruit is at peak ripeness and, in turn, also understand the most advantageous point in the fruit’s lifetime to put it on the market.

The determination of the substance composition of the product examples listed above all speak to the purpose of quality control and the upholding of standardized guidelines. Consumers rely on manufacturers not only to produce these products safely and in vast quantity, but to deliver the customer a consistent taste experience when the product is consumed. Brand marketing success relies on maintaining the standards for the composition of substances that comprise the product. One could argue that an in-line process refractometer is actually a marketing tool of some sort, at least to the extent that it is employed to maintain consistent product quality.

Equipment manufacturers have developed numerous refractometer configurations tailored to specific use and application. Each has a set of features making it the advantageous choice for its intended application. Product specialists can be invaluable sources of information and assistance to potential refractometer users seeking to match the best equipment to their application or process.

Ultrasonic Clamp-On Flowmeter with SIL 2 Rating

FLUXUS F/G70X and F/G80X series meters
Courtesy Flexim

Measuring the flow quantity of gases and liquids is a common industrial processing task. There are numerous technologies available for measuring fluid flow, each with its own set of advantages and drawbacks for any particular application. Some of the technologies and methods have been in use for a very long time, with recent enhancements provided by electronics or smart sensor designs.

Ultrasonic flow measurement devices employ a comparatively recent technology to measure gaseous or liquid flow. Whether the transit time differential or Doppler method is utilized, ultrasonic flow meters have a distinctive characteristic in that they can be deployed in a form factor that does not require insertion into the fluid. A common installation method is to clamp the ultrasonic transducer assembly onto the exterior of a pipe. This makes the technology attractive for applications that involve adding a flow measurement point to an existing piping system.

Flexim, a globally recognized leader in ultrasonic flow measurement, offers a number of permanent and portable units for measuring liquid and gaseous flow rates. Some of their instruments have been certified as SIL 2 capable, along with a host of other third party certifications. The product range includes simple and accurate instruments designed for general industrial use, and extends to multi-beam units intended for applications, such as custody transfer of fluids, that require the highest accuracy and overall performance levels.

Share your flow measurement challenges and requirements with instrumentation specialists, combining your own process knowledge and experience with their product application expertise to develop effective solutions.

Non-Invasive Gas Flow Measurement from MSJacobs-Cali

Inline Refractometers Used in Commercial Food and Beverage Production

Hygienic process in-line refractometer
with control unit and flow cell
Courtesy Flexim

Refractometry is a measuring technique that evaluates the impact of fluid media on light. There are some variants of the basic technology, but essentially it relies upon the media affecting a change in the way in which light waves propagate through a sample. This refraction caused by the sample can be compared to a known standard and information about the sample can be deduced.

Refractometry is a useful measuring method for many liquid processing operations. It is used for concentration and density analysis of process liquids. Portable sample processing units are available, but high volume continuous flow operations benefit from the use of in-line refractometers that do not require manual sampling and handling of process liquids. The measurements are produced in real time to continuously verify the fluid quality characteristics.

Food and beverage manufacturers use refractometry to determine the concentration of sugar, ethanol, ascorbic acid, pectin, artificial sweeteners and other components in their products. Close control of component concentration is a necessary part of delivering a consistent taste in finished products. Large investments are made to establish brand name products, and delivery of a consistent customer experience each time a product is consumed is key to developing and growing a brand. This is a solid example of a marketing based application of science and technology to industrial processing.

In-line refractometers for food and beverage applications will have specific features and construction to make them suitable for hygienic processing. The avoidance of contamination is first and foremost a requirement. Additionally, design features that reduce maintenance requirements and retain the needed measuring accuracy through extended periods of usage add value to the unit and should be a consideration when selecting an in-line refractometer.

Share your in-line refractometry applications and challenges with product specialists, combining your process experience and knowledge with their product application expertise to develop effective solutions.

In-Line Refractometer for Hygienic Operations from MSJacobs-Cali

Installing a Clamp-on Ultrasonic Flow Meter

Ultrasonic flow meter with clamp on sensor
Courtesy Flexim

Ultrasonic flow meters are utilized throughout the fluid processing industries, as well as for compressed air and energy monitoring. The non-invasive nature of the sensor installation couples with sufficient accuracy and low maintenance requirements to give this technology a competitive edge for many applications.

Producing consistently accurate results with an ultrasonic flow meter depends heavily on a proper installation. Flexim, a globally recognized leader in the manufacture of ultrasonic flow meters, provides us with a video that steps through the installation process, with recommendations and guidance along the way.

Flexim manufactures a full range of ultrasonic flow measurement equipment and instruments for industrial and commercial applications. Share your flow measurement challenges with process measurement experts, combining your process knowledge with their product application expertise to develop effective solutions.

Video Demonstration of Transit Time Difference Method of Flow Measurement

Portable Ultrasonic Flow Meter
Flexim

The measure of flow is a pervasive task in fluid process control. There are several differing technologies employed for measuring fluid flow, each with its own set of performance and application attributes that might make it the advantageous choice for a particular operation.

Ultrasonic flow measurement uses several methods for determining the average velocity of a fluid. One of those methods employs the difference in the transit times of ultrasonic pulses travelling with the flow direction and against the flow direction. The flow velocity of the media will offset the transit times between the flow and counterflow measurements. The measured difference in transit times can be used to determine average flow velocity and, with additional processing, mass flow.

Ultrasonic flow meters are accurate and provide repeatable results, making them suitable for custody transfer operations, as well as many other process control applications. Little maintenance is required and the units have no moving parts. Measurement instruments are available with in-line or clamp-on mounting, providing a high level of installation and application flexibility.

The short video below provides a clear explanation of how transit time difference measurement works. Share your flow measurement challenges and requirements with a product application expert, combining your process knowledge with their product expertise to develop effective solutions.

Accurate Thermal Metering Using Non-Invasive Technology For Building HVAC Energy Management

Ultrasonic flowmeter specially configured for
thermal energy metering
Courtesy Flexim

The modern business climate has, for some now, been spooling up demand for accountability and, even more so, efficiency. Whether you think of efficiency as "doing more with less" or just avoiding the waste of financial, human, or natural resources the end result is the same and calls for similar prerequisites.

We live in a society of buildings, each with a mapped out function. Most buildings are predominantly occupied by people, bringing a requirement to maintain temperature, relative humidity, and air quality at levels of suitable comfort for human occupants. The energy consumption involved with providing that level of comfort stands as a bold line item in the operating expense ledger for any building. That is where accountability and efficiency come in. It is in the building stakeholders' interest to have knowledge regarding rates and quantity of thermal energy usage, as well as efficiency measures of delivered output per unit of input energy.

HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) primarily is an endeavor that generates and moves thermal energy throughout an enclosed space. Commercially available technology now allows a building operator to accurately measure that movement of thermal energy throughout a system or building. The process is generally called BTU metering and has a number of justifiable benefits.

• Real time equipment performance measurement.
• Sub metering can indicate specific areas of consumption.
• Ability to directly bill multiple tenants in a single building for their thermal energy usage.
• Monitor and balance energy flows.

BTU metering essentially involves inlet and outlet temperature measurement of heat transfer liquids, along with their flow rate. While the principle is simple, the intricacies of the measurement methods and equipment accuracy can have a substantial impact on the accuracy, and thus the benefit, of the measurement data. Additionally, adding more instrumentation to an already complex system can create an additional on-going maintenance and calibration burden to retain the necessary levels of accuracy and function. Success at gaining the benefit of the performance data while minimizing the additional maintenance burden due to the instrumentation should be the goal.

One solution calls for the use of clamp on ultrasonic flow meters to measure liquid flow, coupled with temperature measurement in a single unit that will perform necessary calculations and provide output data in useful engineering units. An overarching benefit of the clamp on meter is its non-invasive nature, allowing its retrofit to in-place systems with no disturbance to existing piping. Here are some other characteristics of a highly effective BTU measurement unit:

• No wear mechanism as part of the flow measurement unit
• Traceable accuracy of flow and temperature measurements
• Simple installation in new or retrofit applications without disruption to system operation
• Reliable and maintenance free operation
• Accurate measurement from near zero flow rate to maximum system flow
• Stable sensing with no zero drift
• Communications protocol to match building energy management system
• Large storage cache for data, in case of communication failure
• Common output signals, 4-20 ma or other, usable with selected ancillary equipment

Selecting the right equipment or instrumentation is the most important step along the path of adding measurement capability to increase efficiency. Without a solid stream of reliable data, useful decisions become difficult. Contact a product application specialist and share your requirements and goals. Combining your process and system knowledge with their product application expertise will produce a good outcome.

Flexim Flow Measurement for HVAC and Production Sector from MSJacobs-Cali

Non-Invasive Measurement of Extremely Low Flow Rates

Industrial process measurement and control operations present a continuous stream of challenges to designers, engineers, operators, and equipment manufacturers. The innumerable combinations of environmental, safety, financial, and other concerns have lead to a wide variety of instruments, equipment, and techniques for meeting specific process requirements. A critical element of many industrial processes is the measurement of liquid flow. Matching the best available flow measurement technology or product to an application calls for through knowledge of the process, the medium being measured, and the strengths and limitations of a proposed measurement device. The most current product and application information is available from specialists in flow measurement.

The video illustrates how a special adaptation of ultrasonic flow measurement technology is utilized to measure extremely low flow rates. Specific product information is also included, showing the advantages and specific application ranges of this specialty product from Flexim Americas.

Non-Invasive Measurement of Extremely Low Liquid Flow Rates from MSJacobs-Cali

Application Suitability of Ultrasonic Flowmeters

Ultrasonic Liquid Flow Measurement System
Courtesy Flexim America

Industrial process control frequently requires the accurate measurement of fluid flow. There are several widely applied methods for measuring flow, each having particular advantages which may apply to a specific application.

Ultrasonic flow meters measure flow indirectly by calculating transit time of a sound wave through, or reflecting from, a flowing fluid. The velocity of the fluid has an impact on the transit time, from which a flow rate can be calculated. Attributes of ultrasonic flow measurement that may determine suitability for a particular application include:

• Transducers can be clamped on exterior pipe surface where measurement is needed.
• Non intrusive measurement technology prevents contact between media and measuring elements.
• No significant pressure drop associated with measuring device installation.
• Reduced leak potential.
• No moving parts.
• Comparatively higher cost than some other technologies.
• Fluid characteristics must be well known for proper application.
• Pipe cross section must be completely filled by media to acquire accurate flow measurement.

Learn more about this process measurement and control technology in the product detail sheet below. Consult with a product application specialist for more detailed product information and tips on how to best apply ultrasonic flow meters to your process.

Flexim Americas - Non-Intrusive Liquid Flow Measurement from MSJacobs-Cali

Measuring Flow - The Transit-Time Difference Method

Transit-time difference Method
(courtesy of FLEXIM)

The Transit-Time Difference method exploits the fact that the transmission speed of an ultrasonic signal depends on the flow velocity of the carrier medium.

Similar to a swimmer swimming against the current, an ultrasonic signal moves slower against the flow direction of the medium than when in flow direction.

The Measurement Principle

Diagram of FLEXIM transit-time
difference flow meter design.

For the measurement, two ultrasonic pulses are sent through the medium, one in the flow direction, and a second one against it. The transducers are alternatively working as an emitter and a receiver.

The transit-time of the ultrasonic signal propagating in the flow direction is shorter than the transit-time of the signal propagating against the flow direction. A transit-time difference, Δt, can thus be measured and allows the determination of the average flow velocity based on the propagation path of the ultrasonic signals.

An additional profile correction is performed by proprietary FLEXIM algorithms, to obtain an exceptional accuracy on the average flow velocity on the cross-section of the pipe - which is proportional to the volume flow.

Since ultrasounds propagate in solids, the transducers can be mounted onto the pipe.

The measurement is therefore non-intrusive, and thus no cutting or welding of pipes is required for the installation of the transducers.

Clamp-on Ultrasonic Flow Measurement Advantages in Pipes and Storage Tanks

Clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter
(courtesy of Flexim)

In order to accurately pump and store fluids, reliable and accurate flow measurement is essential. Intrusive flow meters such as turbine meters and orifice plates are problematic when it comes to maintenance and long-term accuracy.

A better solution is a clamp-on, externally mounted, ultrasonic flow meter. These types of meters simply mount right to the outside of the process piping and do not expose the sensor to the process media. Nor do they require the pipe of vessel to be open for maintenance. Furthermore, they provide high accuracy and repeatability needed for leak detection and minimization of product losses.

Another advantage of using clamp-on flow meters is to use sonic velocity to determine what hydrocarbons are flowing through the pipe. Sonic velocity, when corrected for temperature change, is a good way to distinguish most hydrocarbons. By comparing the actual sonic velocity in a given application, and comparing it to known sonic velocity data, hydrocarbons at given temperatures can be identified.

This comes in particularly helpful in detecting interface changes. Different product batches are easily recognized by the meter. As interface changes are detected with a high degree of sensitivity, product mixups are significantly reduced.

Additional advantages of clamp-on, ultrasonic flow meters:

• No wear and tear - no clogging effects
• Quick and accurate detection of Interface changes - reducing amount of product mixing
• Accurate measurement on thick walled pipes and exotic pipe materials

Process Control Products for Shale Gas Extraction, Processing and Transport

The Marcellus Formation, one of the largest shale gas resources in North America, sits directly under much of M.S. Jacobs area of coverage. Many of the product lines they handle are needed in the extraction, processing and transport of the shale gas.

Global Thermoelectric TEG
(thermoelectric generator)

The Global Thermoelectric TEG (thermoelectric generator) is a product M.S. Jacobs provides for “upstream” use on the production well pad. It is used to supply remote power and is preferred in colder climates because of its reliability, it has no moving parts, and its operating principle. A thermoelectric generator converts heat directly into electricity. As heat moves from a gas burner through a thermoelectric module, it causes an electrical current to flow. Solar was the preferred source of power for many of the production companies from Texas and Oklahoma. That was until they experienced the harsh cold winter in Pennsylvania without days of sun which led to dead batteries and no data/control on the well.

Flexim Midstream Gas Meters

Other products M.S. Jacobs provides for "midstream" use are Flexim ultrasonic clamp-on flowmeters. These are being used as check meters at midstream processing facilities and compressor stations to measure large volumes of gas. They are also being used to help balance the load to the compressors. Other applications are on gas storage wells that are filled in the summer and pumped out in the fall-winter, taking advantage of the bi-directional measurement capability of the meter.

M.S. Jacobs also provides Magnetrol level controls and Orion visual level indicators for various level applications as well as valves and controls on other midstream and downstream applications.

There has been an explosion of midstream processing facilities in this area. Many processing companies have set up facilities to strip the propane and butane from the rich Marcellus “wet gas” and send the methane downstream for use in our homes. M.S. Jacobs has become a primary partner to many of these processing companies because of our application skills, local inventory, and support.